Martin Luther King: I Hear Your Cry!

January 19, 1998

Monday, like many African-Americans, I will be celebrating the birthday of a great man! The Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. was truly a great messenger, teacher, leader, and human being. This man championed righteousness, peace, and fairness to all people. I could never feel the level of pain he experienced (only Ghandi, Mandela and a few others compare); however, as an altruistic, god-loving, decent human being concerned about community, I do hear your cry!

For the record (before I get to my point), I must tell you that I am an African-American male who graduated from Morehouse College in Atlanta - the only all-Black male college in the U.S. and the alma mater of Reverend King. I attended Morehouse during the same time as Dexter and Martin Luther King III. Now, every year during his birthday celebration, I revisit the question: "have race relations gotten any better in this country?" As I ponder the question this year, my perspective strangely, but not so strangely, switches to the biases, ignorance, and prejudice that exist in our own community, among our own race. Their existence creates a separatist environment, which prevents the Black community from manifesting its true power - the true power, which already exists within it.

I am not forgetting that racial/cultural/gender ignoramuses are lurking in communities (Riverside California's recent school-naming controversy), in business offices (Texaco), in sports (remember "Jimmy the Greek"), and in education (UF's Lombardi's recent Oreo comment). However, when you see it, feel it, and experience it in your own community, among your own race, the Cry decimally increases in your head!

In an article published in the Orlando Sentinel editorializing UF's President Lombardi's "Oreo" comment, Geraldine Thompson, director of the equal opportunity programs at Valencia Community College, says, "I think a lot of it is not wanting to give a person (Black person) his or her due, not acknowledging (Black people) his accomplishments and competence." Paraphrasing a little if I may, this means that some people don't want to objectively look at one's character, accomplishments, and goodness because of the color of his or her skin! King's "I have a dream" speech stressed eliminating this prejudice, and I believe King wasn't referring to Whites only! He was also speaking about us respecting, helping, and supporting our own resources, in our own community. Circulating the dollar in Black communities, coordinating protests, collaboratively opening the door to opportunity, respect, and humanity - this was the real beauty of the Civil Rights Movement.

The African-American community in Orlando must also listen to the words of Geraldine Thompson. We must communicate, gather our resources, and work for the collective good, respect each other's competence and track record, and utilize these specialized skills for our own independence and prosperity.

As a businessman in this community for close to 3 years I have:

1) Served as Executive Director of a small business program, funded by Orange County, that assisted over 200 businesses in the areas of business development and technical services (accounting, marketing, and legal) for free. The public/private program, contracted through Bland & Associates Inc. was nationally recognized by Income Opportunity magazine. 2) Created a program with the Crummer School of Business, Rollins College, using MBA students to write business plans for existing small businesses in the community for free. 3) Served as one of the first instructor's for the Parramore Heritage Youth Entrepreneurial Program, encouraging African-American youth to explore Entrepreneurship and be self-sufficient. 4) Given workshops and seminars discussing Online Marketing and Webvertising at top-notch facilities, with industry leaders as sponsors. 5) Served as a volunteer for the Small Business Development Center.

Unfortunately, despite my record here, I am amazed at how many of my own people in Orlando will not support a brother attempting to do some positive, creative, things for the betterment of the community! They are doing exactly what Geraldine Thompson states. Therefore, less gets accomplished, and people start pointing the blame on everyone else beside themselves. Let me give you an example: last year a local Web development company and myself tried to donate a Web page design to two local minority small business programs (the Minority/ Women Alliance and the African American Chamber). Our donation would have amounted to at least $5,000 dollars worth of services from the best, most creative shops in Orlando. Although I was not receiving a dime (because they weren't paying a dime), some were questioning my motives instead of wanting to make it happen. My real cry is not only that they refused these free services, but that they lacked a plan to address their online marketing needs - a crucial point

I believe that under-utilization of existing resources within our own community stems from lack of trust in our abilities and the questioning of our motives. Sometimes we concern ourselves with what the other party is getting, instead of the inherent benefits. Does the term win - win sound familiar in the Black Community? Will community businesses support each other like in the 60's? Will the Black Community unite once again to fight economic and social inequities cohesively? Hear my CRY that one day we can say a resounding yes!

When the Black communities begin to respect their own resources, this will fertilize economic, cultural, and spiritual growth. We will support each other's businesses, building a better community for our children. My dream sounds great, and I thank Reverend King for inspiring it. I will not let other's actions deter me from making a difference, and I thank some of you out there who I also see keeping the dream alive, and having a sense of helping others: Tony Bland, Ty Christian, Robert Gaye, Sam Butler, Al Wiseman, Ernest Perry, Terry Boyd, Linda Coleman, Henry Nelson, Dexter and Marty King, Rick Van Noy, Fred Dual, Sam Graham, Creg Kennedy, Frank Clear, Don Jacobs, Parnell Dickinson, Walt Berringer, Marshal Fox, Phillip Malcolm, Paul San Giovanni, Chris Lauterbach, the whole Atlanta Crew, the GMD Crew, the CFIC Crew, Patrick Horvath, and hopefully, YOU!!

--Patrick Glenn Howard

Patrick Howard
I consider myself to be a cool, smart, good hearted person and blessed person. Sometimes, I think I'm crazy, and I am probably right. (many people will agree with that). I believe in reaping what you sow, so It's my mission to spread good seeds in life, so that they may be fruitful and beneficial to my family (wife & daughters) and those I work with and those I love (some of the same people).